Proven Winners® Staircase™ Orange Lupine

Elevate your garden with the brightly colored Proven Winners® Staircase™ Orange Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus 'Staircase Orange') sets the garden ablaze with its striking, spire-like flowers in shades of deep orange, apricot, and coral!

This reblooming beauty graces the landscape with vertical elegance, offering a dramatic display in late spring to early summer with a possible encore in fall. Pollinators can't resist its nectar-rich blooms, making it a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Plus, its fragrant flowers add an extra sensory delight!

This perennial forms a lush, bushy mound of palmate, deep green foliage that serves as the perfect backdrop for its towering floral spikes. In folklore, Lupines symbolize imagination and happiness, bringing a sense of joy to any garden they grace.

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Key Features

• Stunning fiery orange, apricot, and coral flower spikes
• Blooms in late spring to early summer, with possible fall rebloom
• Fragrant and highly attractive to pollinators
• Thrives in USDA Zones 4-8
• Nitrogen-fixing plant that improves soil health
• Tolerates drought once established

Landscaping Uses

Staircase™ Orange Lupine adds vertical drama with its tall flower spikes and bushy green foliage, making it an excellent choice for mixed beds and borders. Reaching 24 inches tall and about 24 inches wide, its bold presence is perfect for back borders, cottage gardens, and wildflower meadows.

• Cottage gardens for an old-fashioned charm
• Wildflower meadows for a naturalized look
• Pollinator gardens to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
• Mixed perennial borders and Rock Gardens for bold, vertical accents
• The deep tap roots make them drought-tolerant and prevent erosion
• Mass plantings for a striking seasonal display
• Salt-tolerant and ideal for coastal landscapes.

Care and Maintenance

A member of the Pea family, and native to California, this Lupine thrives in cooler climates and performs best in USDA Zones 4-8. It prefers well-drained soils and enjoys full sun to partial shade. Its deep taproot makes it highly drought-tolerant once established, and it even enriches the soil by fixing nitrogen! As an herbaceous perennial, this Lupine returns each spring with vigor.

• Planting Time: Spring or fall.
• Sun Needs: Full sun to partial shade.
• Soil Needs: Well-drained, sandy, loamy, or slightly acidic soil. The deep tap root does not tolerate heavy clay or poor drainage.
• Moisture Needs: Moderate moisture needs; drought-tolerant once established.
• Mulch: 3-4 inches of arborist mulch to conserve moisture and regulate soil temperature.
• Fertilization Needs: Light feeding in spring with a balanced fertilizer; avoid high nitrogen.
• Pruning Info: Deadhead spent blooms to encourage reblooming and prevent self-seeding. In fall, trim back the foliage.
• Renewal Pruning: Cut back in fall after foliage dies back.
• Special Needs/Perks/Growing Tips:
• Deer and rabbit resistant
• Nitrogen-fixing plant that improves soil health
• Prefers cool weather; may struggle in hot, humid climates
• Handles sandy and rocky soils well

Fiery Spikes for a Show-Stopping Garden

Lupines have long been a favorite of cottage gardeners and wildflower lovers, and Staircase™ Orange Lupine takes that admiration to new heights with its dazzling fiery tones and reblooming nature. Whether you're looking to create a pollinator paradise or simply add a vibrant splash of color, this perennial is a must-have.

Order this Proven Winners® selection now from Nature Hills Nursery and get ready to enjoy a breathtaking floral show!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Lupines come back every year?
Yes! Staircase™ Orange Lupine is a perennial that returns bigger and better each year, dying back in winter and re-emerging in spring.

How do I encourage my Lupine to rebloom?
Deadhead spent blooms promptly to encourage a second flush of flowers in late summer or early fall.

Can Lupines grow in clay soil?
Lupines prefer well-drained, sandy, or loamy soil and do not tolerate heavy clay. If you have clay soil, amend it with organic matter or plant in raised beds.

Do I need to fertilize my Lupine?
Lupines are nitrogen-fixers, meaning they naturally enrich the soil. However, a light feeding in spring with a balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer can encourage more blooms.

Is Staircase™ Orange Lupine deer-resistant?

Yes, Lupines are generally deer and rabbit resistant due to their slightly toxic foliage. However, no plant is completely deer-proof.

Why order from Nature Hills Nursery?

Nature Hills Nursery is committed to bringing the highest-quality plants to your door. Join thousands of happy customers and get all your planting needs at Nature Hills! We guarantee our plants for their first year! Check out lifelong support and landscaping ideas in our #ProPlantTips Garden Blog and online at customer-support.naturehills.com!